Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-01-08
CHAPTER II

CHAPTER II.
Robert Moody was at this tinc nearly
forty years of age. He was n shy, quiet
dark person, with pale, closely shaven face
| agreeably animated by large black eyes set
deep in their orbits His mouth wns perhaps
bis best feature; he had firm, well-shaped
lips, which softeued on rare occasions into 4
| particularly winning smile. The whole loo,
OF the man, in spite Of his habitual reserve,
| declared aim to DO eminently trustworthy.
lis position in Lady IIydiard's household
was IN no sense of the mental sort. He acted
es her almoner and secretary as well az her
steward-distributed her charities, wrote her
letters on business, paid her bills, engaged
her servants, stocked her wine cellar, was
| authorized TO borrow books from her library,
and was served with his meals in his own
room. His parentage gave him claims to
these special favors: he was by birth entitled
70 rank as a gentleman His father had
tailed at time of commercial panic as a
country banker, had paid q good dividend
and had died in exile abroad, broken-heart-
ed man. Robert had tried TO hold his place
IN the world, but adverse fortune kept
olm down. Undeserved disaster followed
hun from one employment to another, until
ne abandoned the Struggle, bade lust fare
well to the pride Of other days, and accepted
ohe position considerably and delicately
offered to him in Lady Lydiards house H :
aad now no near relations living, and he ha
never made many friends In the intervals
of occupation he led lonely life in his litSle
'oom 1t was matter of secret wonder
lmong the women in the servants hall. con.
iderlng his personal advantages and the op-
oortunities which must surely have been
thrown in his way, that he had never tempted
ortune in the character OF married man.
Robert Moody entered into no explanations
IN that subject In his own sad and quiet
way he continued to lead his own sad and
lulet life The women all failing, from the
handsome housekeeper downward, to make
be smallest impression on him, consoled
themselves by prophetic visions Of the future
citations with the sex, and predicted vim
iictively that "his time would Gomez
'Well," said Lady Lydiard, 'and what
ave you donef
Your ladyship seemed to be anxious
about the dog" Moody answered in the low
one which was habtual to him. II went
irst to the veterinary surgeon. He has been
allied away into the country; and"
Lady Lydiard waved away the conclusion
If the sentence with her hand.
Never mind tho surgeon We must find
omebody else. Where did you go nextr
ITO your ladyship's lawyer. Mr. Troy
Wished me to say that he will have the pleas
IRE of waiting ON you"
Pass over the lawyer Moody. want to
NOW about the painters widow. Is it true
hat Mr.,
helpless poverty"
MOT quite true, my lady. have seen the
clergyman of the parish, who takes an in
crest in the case"
Lady Lydiard interrupted her steward for
he third times
you have not mentioned my names" she
skcd, sharply.
Certainly not my lady. / followed nv
Instructions, and described you as a beneyo-
emit person in search of cases Of real dis
gess. 1t quite true that Mr.. TolImidgo has
ied, leaving nothing 10 his family But the
widow has a little income of 40 in her own
light"
us that enough to live on, Mo5dyF her
aAyship asked.
Enough, in this case, for the widow and
Ter daughter" Moody answered ''The diff
Guilty is topay the few debts left standing,
ind to start the two sous in life. They are
cported to be steady lads and tho family is
nnch respected in the neighhorhood. The
clergyman proposes to get a fow influential
names to begin with, and to start subscrip-
5on."
mo subscriptionl7 protested Lady Lyd.
ard. Mr.. Tollmidge was Lord Lvd,
ards cotisin, and Mrs Tollmidge is re- |
ated to his lordship by marriage. 1t would |
degrading TO my husbands memory to |
AVE the begging-box sent round for his re-
ations, no matter how distant they NAV be |
5ouslnsH exclaimed her ladyship, suddenly
descending from the lofty ranges of senti-
nent 10 the low. II hate the very name Of
hem! A person who is near enough to me
o be my relation and far enough off from
ne to be my sweetheart is a double.faeed
ort Of person that don't like. Let's get
Jack to the widow and her sons How much
10 they want9
"a subscription of $500, my lady. would
provide for eveiything--if it could only be
1T shall he collected, Moody! | will paw
he subscriptioh'out of my own purse.n Hay-
ng asserted herself in those noble terms. she
poiled the effect of her own outburst Of
generosity by dropping to the sor,tid view of
he subject in her next sentence. Five |.
hundred pounds is good bit OF money,
hough; isn't it. Moodyl'
lit is indeed, my lady" Rich anAren-
rous as he knew his mistress to be, hst pro
osal to pay the whole subscuptiosStesk the
toward by surprise. Lady Igdiard's ouicl,
exception instantly detected what was
assing in his mind
''You don't quite understand my posixon
l this matter" she said. Wish read the
ewspaper notice of Mr. Tolln@agss death. l
earched among his lordship's papers 10 zee
they really were related / discovered
'me letters from MIR. Tollmidrs which
lowed me that be and Lord Eydiard were ,
ousins. One Of those letters eorraius some ,
cry painful statements, rejecting most nm
'uly and unjustly on my couduct-les. in
lort.n her ladyship burst oli., hsiuv her
ignity, as usual. Lilies, Moody. IA Which :
n. Tollmidge deserved to be herseuhinnea
would have done it mySek If his lorsish;, ]
nd told me at the time. No matter: It's |
seless to dwell on the thing Row.. she con-
iiued, ascending again to tho forms Of ar I
ression which became a lady Of ranir
This unhappy man has dona me a erosr h. /
'stice; my motives may be seriously mis- '
ldged II ! appear personally.ia c0nmunf,